Page 1 of Liam (R.I.S.C. Delta Team #5)

One week ago…

He found us.

Those same three words pierced through Allison Gallo’s mind as she followed the lines of the long, darkened highway. Her chest grew tight with their taunting whispers, and her shattered heart worked even harder than before.

He found us.

She kept her eyes on a constant swivel following an invisible line between the unfamiliar road ahead and the reflection in the rearview mirror. The grip she had on the steering wheel tightened as her gaze fell from the reflective glass to the precious little girl asleep in her high-back booster.

My Maddie.

Her six-year-old daughter was the most important thing in Allison’s messed-up life. The one and only good thing that had come from a nightmare of a marriage to a man who’d claimed to love them both.

It didn’t take long after their ridiculously lavish ceremony for Tommy’s true colors to begin to show. Six months into their marriage—during a late-night argument in which he’d accused her of flirting with the waiter during their dinner date—Allison finally saw her husband for who he really was.

Thomas Gallo was a snake in sheep’s clothing. A chameleon who’d charmed his way into her heart before pulling the fairytale rug right out from under her feet. And now…

Allison’s worried gaze returned to Maddie’s tiny form. The tiny blonde was one of the sweetest, most innocent blessings the world had ever known. She was also the reason Allison found herself running away in the middle of the night.

Again.

A pang of guilt ripped through her knowing she was to blame for their life on the run. If only she’d left Tommy sooner, before her daughter was old enough to remember. If only she’d been smarter. Stronger.

If only…

Her fingers curled around the steering wheel in another white-knuckled grip. She didn’t have time to go down the if-only road. Her focus needed to remain on doing whatever it took to keep her daughter safe.

The inside of Allison’s purse began to ring, startling her to the point her muscles jumped from the unexpected sound. After a few calming breaths, she reached over the cracked leather console to the bag resting open in the modest sedan’s passenger seat.

Searching blindly, she found the untraceable phone with ease, pulling it free from the purse and checking the number on the screen…just in case. Relief flourished when she immediately recognized the number.

Finally.

Allison flipped open the phone and put it to her ear. “I was beginning to think you weren’t going to call.”

“You know these things take time, Allison.” Sloane Richardson’s familiar voice filled her ear. “I know you’re anxious, but?—”

“I’m not anxious,” she bit back harshly.

A second later, she lowered her voice to a quieter, softer tone.

“I’m sorry. It’s just that…I-I’m terrified.

” Her gaze bounced to her daughter and back to the road ahead.

“When I left your shelter, I thought Maddie and I were finally be free. I actually believed we could start fresh without fear of Tommy or his men finding us, but now…”

“Allison, I know you’re scared, but?—”

“I don’t mean to sound ungrateful, Sloane.” Allison cut the other woman’s attempt to offer comfort. “And I know I’ll never be able to repay you for what you’ve done for us both, but I…” Her throat grew thick with emotion as the pinprick of tears burned the corners of her eyes.

A few seconds of silence passed between them before Sloane spoke up again.

“Look, Allision. I know I asked you this when you called me earlier today, but…are you absolutely sure it was him? Because it’s not uncommon for victims of domestic violence to see their attackers everywhere they go.

In strangers’ faces, or on billboards. In crowds or in line at the grocery store checkou?—”

“It was him.” Allison swallowed hard. “It was Tommy. He was standing in line when I got to work this morning.”

The pit of regret grew larger inside her stomach. She’d only recently been hired on at the quaint little coffee shop in Nebraska. The owner was a woman close to Allison’s age and was just starting to feel like an actual friend.

She should have known better. Could practically hear Tommy’s hateful voice pointing out how very stupid she’d been.

You think a woman like you can have friends? You’re pathetic. Always have been. Always will be.

Like the idiot her husband had always claimed, she’d all but convinced herself that his mean-spirited words no longer held the same level of power over her they once had. But she was wrong.

About everything, apparently.

Tucked away in a smaller-than-small town in the middle of Nebraska, Allison had been stupid enough to believe that she and Maddie were safe. But safety was just an illusion, and the second she let her guard down… just when she was finally beginning to settle in…

There he was.

“Did he see you?”

“No,” she answered Sloane’s question with a quick shake of her head.

“At least, I don’t think so. I came in through the employee entrance in the back and caught a glimpse of him through the small kitchen window.

He was looking down at his phone, and I slid behind the wall before he looked up.

And before you say anything, yes, his face was partially hidden, but I’m telling you… it was him.”

You never forget the face of the evil.

“I don’t know how it’s even possible,” Sloane mused, adding a hurried, “I’m not saying I don’t believe you, it’s just…I can’t figure out how in the world Tommy could have found you.”

“Me, either.” Allison sighed. “You said the new I.D.s would work. That there was no way for Tommy to trace them back to me or Maddie, but now?—”

“That’s what I’m saying, Allison.” The other woman’s tone grew even more serious.

“The guy I use for all of that is the best in the business and his loyalty is infallible. I’m not saying I’m perfect, but I know the risks involved with what we do here, which means I take nothing for granted and no one at face value.

So if Tommy really did found you, my gut says he did it through some other means. ”

“How?”

“I don’t know..yet. Until I do, the most important thing is getting you and Maddie someplace safe. Are you still heading east?”

“Yes.” Allison nodded, despite knowing the other woman couldn’t see her.

“I’m on Highway 30. We stopped in Cedar Rapids about forty-five minutes ago for fuel and a quick restroom break.

” Thankfully, Maddie had been asleep ever since.

“According to the last sign we passed, we’re about three hours from Chicago. ”

Sloane’s sigh of relief was impossible to miss. “Good. Chicago is perfect, actually.”

It…was?

“Why is that perfect?”

“Because there’s a place there where you and Maddie will be safe.”

Safe. There was that word again.

“Sloane, I’m not sure Chicago’s the best place for?—”

“Come on, Al. You’ve trusted me this long.” Sloane cut her off. “If you didn’t, then mine wouldn’t have been the number you called this morning.”

The argument was a strong one. Sloane was the only person on the planet Allison trusted. But even that only got her so far.

Every decision she made—no matter how careful—held the potential for risk. And with Maddie’s life on the line, there was no such thing as being too cautious.

“I have a friend who lives there,” the insistent voice sounded in her ear once more. “She runs a women’s shelter, but unlike Liberty House, Naomi’s entire operation is kept under the radar.”

Liberty House was the name of Sloane’s shelter in Seattle. It was there where Allison had first met the other woman. The place where she’d finally found hope. But now…

“Only Naomi, her staff, a few trusted CPD cops, and a specialized private security firm located in the city are even aware of its existence,” Sloane continued. “From the outside, it appears like any other apartment building with no signage to help keep the woman and children staying there safe.”

With an inward cringe, Allison did her best not to sound unappreciative. “I know you’re doing all you can to help, but I was really hoping for something more than another shelter to hide out in until Tommy finds us again.”

Because he would find them again. He always did.

“I know you’re tired of running, Allison. Trust me, I get that more than you know. But Naomi’s place is safe, and Chicago’s big. The chances of your husband finding you there is slim to none.”

Slim to none, but not impossible.

When it came to Tommy Gallo, it seemed like nothing was impossible. And though dragging her daughter to yet another shelter was the last thing Allison wanted to do, driving aimlessly across the country with no real plan wasn’t exactly a grand plan in the making.

Frustration, fear, disappointment, and anger warred within her veins. In the end, she drew upon the few tendrils of strength that had yet to be destroyed and said, “Send me the address. I’ll stay with your friend.”

“Texting it to you now,” Sloane revealed. “I’ll let Naomi know you’re headed her way so she can meet you in the building’s lobby when you get there. She did confirm there’s an apartment available, but it’s a one-bedroom, so you and Maddie will have to share a bed.”

Allison’s gaze swept back up to the rearview mirror. A small smile lifted the corners of her lips. “That’s okay,” she answered honestly. “We’re used to that. Besides, she’s a good sleeper.”

My precious little snugglebug.

Several seconds passed before the other woman spoke up again. “It’s going to be okay, hun,” Sloane offered softly. “I know right now that’s hard to believe, but it’s true. Just promise you won’t give up hope, yeah?”

Another glance in Maddie’s direction, and she knew in her heart of hearts… “I’ll do whatever it takes to make sure my little girl is safe.”

Even if it leads me to my death.